United States Ambassador to Namibia
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The area of southwestern Africa that is now Namibia was little known to Europeans until the late 19th century. In 1878, the United Kingdom annexed Walvis Bay on behalf of Cape Colony, and the area was incorporated into the Cape of Good Hope in 1884. In 1883 Germany claimed the rest of the coastal region after negotiations with a local chief. Negotiations between the United Kingdom and Germany resulted in Germany’s annexation of the coastal region, excluding Walvis Bay. The following year, the United Kingdom recognized the hinterland up to 20 degrees east longitude as a German sphere of influence. A region later known as the Caprivi Strip became a part of South West Africa after an agreement on July 1, 1890, between the United Kingdom and Germany. The British recognized that the strip would fall under German administration to provide access to the Zambezi River and German colonies in East Africa.
German administration ended during The Great War following occupation by South Africa in 1915. On December 17, 1920, South Africa undertook administration of South West Africa under the terms of Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations and a mandate agreement by the League Council. The mandate agreement gave South Africa full power of administration and legislation over the territory. It required that South Africa promote the material and moral well-being and social progress of the people.
When the League of Nations was dissolved in 1946, the newly formed United Nations inherited its supervisory authority for the territory. South Africa refused UN requests to place the territory under a trusteeship agreement. During the 1960s, as the European powers granted independence to their colonies and trust territories in Africa, pressure mounted on South Africa to do so in Namibia, which was then known as South West Africa. In 1966, the UN General Assembly revoked South Africa’s mandate.
In a 1971 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice upheld UN authority over Namibia, determining that the South African presence in Namibia was illegal and that South Africa therefore was obligated to withdraw its administration from Namibia immediately. The Court also advised UN member states to refrain from implying legal recognition or assistance to the South African presence.
In 1978 United Nations Security Council Resolution 435 called for the holding of elections in Namibia under UN supervision and control, the cessation of all hostile acts by all parties, and restrictions on the activities of South African and Namibian military, paramilitary, and police. South Africa agreed to cooperate in achieving the implementation of Resolution 435. However, South Africa continued to administer Namibia through its installed multiracial coalitions. Negotiations after 1978 focused on issues such as supervision of elections connected with the implementation of the UN Plan.
In 1988 an agreement among all interested parties was signed and South Africa agreed to withdraw its troops. Implementation of Resolution 435 officially began on April 1, 1989, when South African-appointed Administrator Gen. Louis Pienaar officially began administering the territory’s transition to independence. UN Special Representative Martti Ahtisaari arrived in Windhoek to begin performing his duties as head of the UN Transition Assistance Group.
In November 1989 an election was held to elect members of the Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly held its first meeting on November 21 and its first act unanimously resolved to use the 1982 Constitutional Principles as the framework for Namibia’s new constitution.
By February 9, 1990, the Constituent Assembly had drafted and adopted a constitution. March 21, independence day, was attended by Secretary of State James A. Baker III, who represented President George H.W. Bush. On that same day, he inaugurated the U.S. Embassy in Windhoek in recognition of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
The U.S. Liaison Office in Windhoek opened February 24, 1984, with William H. Twaddell as Director and closed February 15, 1985. During this time the following officers served as Director: Dennis Whyte Keogh (March–April 1984), Howard Jeter (April–May 1984), and William L. Jacobsen, Jr. (May 1984–February 1985). It reopened on June 1, 1989, with Roger A. McGuire as Director. McGuire became chargé d’affaires ad interim when the Liaison Office was elevated to embassy status on March 21, 1990. The first ambassador, Genta H. Holmes was appointed on August 6, 1990. The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with Namibia since that time.
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[edit] Ambassadors
Diplomatic Terms
Career FSO: After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSO) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.
Political appointee: A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president; often to reward political friends.
Appointed: The date that the ambassador took the oath of office—also called “commissioning.” This follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a congressional-recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador must be later confirmed by the Senate.
Presented Credentials: The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador’s arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador’s letter, but this occurs only rarely.
Terminated mission: Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador’s commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.
Chargé d’affaires: The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. See chargé d’affaires.
ad interim: For the time being; in the meantime. See ad interim.
- Genta H. Holmes – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 6, 1990
- Presented credentials: August 30, 1990
- Terminated mission: Left post September 6, 1992
- Marshall Fletcher McCallie – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 25, 1993
- Presented credentials: July 7, 1993
- Terminated mission: Left post July 12, 1996
- George F. Ward – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 11, 1996
- Presented credentials: August 21, 1996
- Terminated mission: Left post March 14, 1999
- Jeffrey A. Bader – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 9, 1999
- Presented credentials: October 13, 1999
- Terminated mission: Left post April 6, 2001
- Kevin Joseph McGuire – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 1, 2001
- Presented credentials: November 21, 2001
- Terminated mission: Left post July 16, 2004
- Joyce A. Barr – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 2, 2004
- Presented credentials: October 27, 2004
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- United States Department of State: Ambassadors to Namibia
- United States Department of State: Background notes on Namibia
- This article contains material from the US Department of State's Background Notes which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.